Culture Concerns Takes A Shot At Springfield

April 17, 1986|By Robert Blau, Entertainment writer.

Arts Advocacy Day, a daylong program of lobbying for and promotion of the arts in Illinois, will take place May 6 in Springfield.

``We`re educating arts constituents on how important it is to talk to legislators,`` says Linda Sherman, executive director of the Illinois Arts Council and the Illinois Arts Action Coalition, the organizers of the event.

``We`re also educating legislators about how much people care about the arts.``

The schedule features panel discussions and presentations outlining various approaches to arts advocacy. Informal meetings with state legislators are also scheduled.

Topics for the round-table discussions include ``Advocacy: Success Arts Advocacy Day, a daylong program of lobbying for and promotion of the arts in Illinois, will take place May 6 in Springfield.

``We`re educating arts constituents on how important it is to talk to legislators,`` says Linda Sherman, executive director of the Illinois Arts Council and the Illinois Arts Action Coalition, the organizers of the event. Bus transportation to Springfield from Chicago, Carbondale, Mt. Vernon, Belleville and Edwardsville will be provided for a nominal fee. The public is invited to attend.

For further information, call 855-3105.

-- The Joseph Holmes Dance Theatre will present two special nights of dance in memory of the troupe`s late founder and director. Holmes died April 11. He was 38.

The performances will be at 8 p.m. May 23 and 24 in the Weinstein Center for the Performing Arts of the National College of Education, 2840 N. Sheridan Rd., Evanston, and will include a retrospective of Holmes` work, as well as a recent unfinished dance piece by Holmes that is being completed by the troupe`s new artistic director, Randy Duncan.

The May 23 performance will benefit the Dance Theatre as well as a scholarship fund being set up in Holmes` name.

For tickets and information, call 975-3505.

-- ``Festival of India,`` a weekend series celebrating the crafts and performing arts of India, will be presented at the Field Museum of Natural History, Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive.

The festival program includes: ``Classical Violin of India,`` a performance by Dr. L. Subramaniam, at 3 p.m. May 3; ``Meitei Dance, Song and Martial Arts from Manipur,`` featuring acrobatic drum dancing and ancient martial arts, at 3 p.m. May 11; and the third and final performance, ``Bharata Natyam--Classical Dance of India,`` at 3 p.m. May 17. Tickets are $5-$7.

In addition, the film ``Shisha Embroidery--Mirror Needlework from India,`` will be screened at 12:30 p.m. May 11 and May 17. Admission is free with museum admission.

For information, call 322-8854.

-- The fledgling New City Theatre is proceeding with plans to become the first Equity theater in the northwest suburbs. Their first production,

``Beyond Therapy,`` by Christopher Durang, is tentatively scheduled for a September opening at the Dempster Development Center, 420 W. Dempster, Mt. Prospect. Other productions scheduled for their first season are: ``That Championship Season,`` by Jason Miller; ``To Grandmother`s House We Go,`` a Midwestern premiere, by Joanna M. Glass; and the Midwest premiere of

``Whodunnit,`` by Anthony Shaffer.

For more information about the theater, call 885-1438.

-- The Chicago Associates of the Stratford Shakespearean Festival will host a benefit honoring William Shakespeare, April 24 at the Guildhall, 1300 N. State Pkwy. The funds will go toward sending young professional actors from Chicago to study at Stratford.

Cocktails begin at 5:30 p.m, and will be followed by a silent auction. Stratford company member Nicholas Pennell will perform at 7:30 p.m.

Since 1983, the Chicago Associates have sent eight actors to work with the Stratford company.